A man obsessed with the number 11 decided to jump in a car and drive off – because the vehicle had an 11 in the registration plate.

Dominic Salway took a Ford Fiesta from Caulton Street, Burslem, after the keys were left in the ignition while the owner had nipped inside a house to buy an X-Box.

Police located the vehicle the next day but the 35-year-old failed to stop and a four-minute pursuit around Tunstall ensued.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the defendant – who was suffering from a drug-induced psychosis – only took the car because of the number-plate.

Robert Glenn, mitigating, said: “He was fixated with car number plates. Number 11 has special significance to him. This vehicle had 11 on the number plate. He made the decision to get in the vehicle and take it.

Dominic Salway was obsessed with the number 11

“He has reached a point in life where he wants to break the cycle of being in and out of custody. He needs to stay drug free. He wants to secure employment for himself. He recognises these are steps he needs to take.”

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Prosecutor Henry Skudra told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court a man attended a property in Caulton Street at 10.30pm on June 29.

Mr Skudra said: “He left the keys in the ignition. When he returned the car had been taken.

“The next day a police officer spotted the car and followed it in an unmarked BMW. The defendant was seen to pull in a space and got out the vehicle. An officer got out. As soon as the defendant recognised the two men were police officers he jumped back in the Fiesta and drove off at speed.

“The defendant failed to stop. He drove for four minutes. He drove at 40mph in a 30mph street and did two circuits of the local area showing no regard for other road users and failing to slow at junctions.

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Judge Fletcher told him: “You are no stranger to offences involving taking vehicles when you should not be.

“The vehicle was left with the engine running with the keys in the ignition, you jumped in and drove away, and a very short pursuit ensued. There is no suggestion other vehicles or pedestrians were inconvenienced.”